Youth Events Scheme 2018
Leave a CommentThe Youth Events Scheme will be open on Wednesday 10th January 2018. Application forms and relevant documentation will be available on that date. Deadline for applications: Friday 20 April 2018.
The Youth Events Scheme will be open on Wednesday 10th January 2018. Application forms and relevant documentation will be available on that date. Deadline for applications: Friday 20 April 2018.
This scheme is aimed at Irish language Drama Companies whose aim is to promote, develop and provide Irish language drama to the arts sector, to the Irish language community, to the broader community and to the education sector.
Read moreThis scheme is aimed at festivals which aim to foster and promote, through Irish or bilingually, Irish language arts, indigenous arts and Irish language heritage as an integral part of the festival, and to provide a stage for the Irish language internationally, at a community level and at an artistic level.
Read moreSupporting opportunities for use in the community by providing funding for groups to run a programme of events in Irish in connection with a special interest they have.
Deadline: Friday 1 December 2017, 12.00 p.m.
Read moreForas na Gaeilge has announced a new scheme today which supports opportunities for using Irish and applications will be accepted from now until 1 December 2017. The basic aim of Grúpaí le Gaeilge (Groups with Irish) is to support opportunities for use in the community by providing funding for groups to run a programme of activities in connection with a particular interest they have through Irish. It will support different groups who use the Irish language but whose particular interest is not only Irish.
Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive, Sean Ó Coinn said, “There are groups throughout the island who come together to engage in a common interest through Irish and we are happy that we can enable these groups, as well as new emerging groups, through this scheme. We aim to support groups that take part in different activities, whether that be yoga, sporting activities or a book club, to encourage the use of Irish as a social and community language. We have developed an online application process for the scheme and, for the first time ever, Foras na Gaeilge will be accepting applications from the public through our website. This is an important development because the system will facilitate the application process for the grantee as we move towards more innovative processes as technology develops. We are greatly looking forward to sharing information on the scheme with the public at a series of information evenings which will be announced shortly.”
An tOireachtas has an advisory role in the running of the Grúpaí le Gaeilge as well as providing support, advice and assistance to community groups interested in applying for the scheme.
Announcing the scheme Liam Ó Maolaodha, Director of An tOireachtas, said, “I am delighted that An tOireachtas have an advisory and support role in Grúpaí le Gaeilge. The scheme will provide an opportunity to networks with a particular interest throughout the country to create opportunities for using Irish as well as providing a clearer structure for the events provided. An tOireachtas hopes that this scheme will encourage a wide range of applications including opportunities to use Irish and for the public to enjoy the language. The development of walking, running, cooking clubs and many more special interest groups around the country is particularly important and worthwhile. Grúpaí le Gaeilge will greatly support the recognition and encouragement of these valuable networks.”
Ends
Queries about the scheme:
Foras na Gaeilge: www.forasnagaeilge.ie/grupai | grupai@forasnagaeilge.ie | 353 1 639 8400
An tOireachtas: eolas@antoireachtas.ie | 353 1 475 3857
Media queries:
Anna Davitt, Programme Manager: Communications, Marketing & Awareness, Foras na Gaeilge
Contact: 0035387 673 6175 | Email: adavitt@forasnagaeilge.ie
On Thursday 12 October the Irish language community and the arts community will come together in An Carn, Carntogher, in County Derry to discuss opportunities to promote the arts through Irish in the north. Oireachtas na Gaeilge is running this event in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Arts Council and Foras na Gaeilge, and as Majella Ní Chríocháin, the Oireachtas na Gaeilge Activities Officer, explained:
‘This arose from a discussion between ourselves, the Arts Council and Foras na Gaeilge about how best to develop Irish language arts in the north. We agreed that an opportunity should be given to Irish language organisations and to Irish language officers, and to arts organisations which are not Irish language organisations, to come together and to present them with examples of high standard Irish language projects. The visual artist Nuala Ní Fhlathúin will speak about a community arts project in which she dealt with the importance of Irish for a small rural community. The choreographer Ríonach Ní Néill will show her short film I Modh Rúin– Incognito about women in the 60s, 70s and 80s who raised their children with Irish, and about how her arts work is connected to the promotion of Irish. The title of the presentation which the poet and musician Marcus Mac Conghail will make is Buail Aríst Mé – Dé hÍde agus an Dúitseach.
As for giving a stage to Irish language arts, Aisling Ní Labhraí from the Cultúrlann in Belfast will speak on the role of the venues; Rossa Ó Snodaigh (KÍLA, and founder of the Irish Language Tent at the Electric Picnic) will give an account of the opportunities for including Irish language activities in the programme of arts festivals; and the singer and musician Dermott Mulholland will discuss the difficulties of developing an audience for the arts in rural areas.’
Edel Ní Chorráin, Deputy Chief Executive of Foras na Gaeilge, said of the event:
‘This day, organised by Oireachtas na Gaeilge, is a great opportunity to promote two aspects of Irish culture, the Irish language and the arts. We are very happy to be involved in the first event of its kind in the north and we hope that there will be further opportunities in the future for more projects with the Arts Council and Foras na Gaeilge working together.’
All the presentations will be made in Irish and there will be a simultaneous translation system available for those not fluent in Irish. The Fair will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. and tickets can be reserved free of charge at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/aonach-na-nealaion-arts-fair-tickets-37843393609?aff=es2. A free lunch will be provided as well and people will have an opportunity to share information about their own organisations at lunch time.
Nothing like this has ever been organised before and An tOireachtas, the Arts Council and Foras na Gaeilge hope that people will take part in the fair and that it will give rise to other arts projects.
ENDS
Further Information:
Majella Ní Chríocháin Events & Attendance Development Officer
+353 (0)87 977 6852 | majella@antoireachtas.ie | www.antoireachtas.ie
Foras na Gaeilge ran a consultation process between April and June 2017 to seek views on the best way to provide funding for Irish language centres throughout the island. The process aimed to review how Foras na Gaeilge caters for Irish language centres, with the intention of catering for the Irish language community in a more strategic and wider way north and south. Although Foras na Gaeilge does not currently have any public scheme to cater for Irish language centres, an annual grant is provided to Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich in Belfast and Gaeláras Uí Chanáin in Derry.
Views were sought during the process on four choices which would provide funding to Irish language centres in different ways. Based on the responses received, Foras na Gaeilge has made a decision to provide a 3 year funding opportunity to Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich and Gaeláras Uí Chanáin from January 2018 onwards. Any funding will be approved through a process of grant application and evaluation from the two centres.
Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive, Sean Ó Coinn said, “A strong message came back to us supporting the current resourcing provided to Irish language centres and Foras na Gaeilge has listened to the consultation feedback. Foras na Gaeilge recognises the central role the two cultural centres have within their communities and that they are pioneering key projects which have wider symbolic importance for Irish language communities throughout the island. But as well as that, we recognise the continuing need to introduce a particular scheme to provide support for the scores of other Irish language centres throughout the island and unfortunately it was not within out power to establish such a scheme under our current allowance. Irish language centres have a function and an importance in the re-establishment of Irish as a recognised community language and are a corner stone of the 20 Year Strategy for Irish 2010-2030. There is an urgent need for more provision to implement a suitable scheme with the appropriate resources. We will be making a case with our sponsoring departments to seek extra resources to that end.”
A full report and analysis of the submissions received on the consultation process will be available at http://www.forasnagaeilge.ie/nuacht/comhairliuchan shortly.
Ends
Further Information:
Anna Davitt, Programme Manager: Communications, Marketing & Awareness, Foras na Gaeilge
Tel: 0035387 673 6175
Email: adavitt@forasnagaeilge.ie
Foras na Gaeilge will be moving to a new head office in Dublin on 29 September.
Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive, Seán Ó Coinn, said, “Foras na Gaeilge has had a long association with this Georgian house on Merrion Square, and some of the staff have been based here since the foundation of Foras na Gaeilge in 1999, and even further back as members of staff of Bord na Gaeilge which moved here in 1981. And of course the Irish language community have been using the offices since then, which means we are leaving a long history behind us. But we have found a new high quality head office which fits our needs, which are continually increasing as Foras na Gaeilge grows. An ambitious target was set for this relocation and the staff have done outstanding work to reach it. I am happy that all the Dublin staff will be based in one location and that we will have adequate space and resources for members of staff from the other Foras na Gaeilge offices coming to visit. I also hope, as was the case with 7 Merrion Square, that the Irish language community will see that the new building on Amiens Street belongs to them and that a new era in the history of the language will begin in the capital with this relocation. The Irish language is expanding at present north and south, and now Foras na Gaeilge will have a permanent home to support the promotion of Irish throughout the island. It is timely that we will be unveiling the new head office to the public at the start of the new year, Bliain na Gaeilge 2018.”
Foras na Gaeilge Communications, Marketing & Awareness Programme Manager, Anna Davitt said, “The Dublin staff aim to be moved in to the new office on Monday 2 October. The Foras na Gaeilge phone number will not change and we will still be available at (01) 639 8400, but all postal correspondence for the Dublin office will be sent to 63-66 Amiens Street, Dublin 1 from now on. We would appreciate the public’s patience as we settle into the new head office in the coming weeks.”
The Dublin office will be temporarily closed on 29 September to facilitate the relocation and Foras na Gaeilge will be operating from the new offices in 63-66 Amiens Street, Dublin 1, from Monday 2 October. If you have an urgent question for the Dublin office during the relocation, you can contact the Belfast office at 028 (048) 90890970 and your message will be passed on.
Ends
Further Information:
Anna Davitt, Programme Manager: Communications, Marketing & Awareness, Foras na Gaeilge
Tel: 0035387 673 6175
Email: adavitt@forasnagaeilge.ie
Edel Ní Chorráin has taken up her duties as Foras na Gaeilge Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Education Services in the Belfast office.
Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive Foras na Gaeilge, Seán Ó Coinn, congratulated Edel on her appointment in June 2017, saying that she would have “responsibility for education across the entire country at a crucial time in education as regards the Irish language”. She brings a wide range of skills and experience with her to this vitally important post in Foras na Gaeilge, of which one of the key functions is to support Irish medium education and the teaching of Irish.
Edel has years of experience in education, in teacher training and especially in designing Irish language teaching aids for the classroom. Projects Edel has developed as Education Manager for Irish medium education, Post-primary, with the CCEA include an online dictionary called Ríomhfhoclóir Matamaitice (Mathematics Electronic Dictionary), which gives definitions of mathematics terminology. She will be focusing specifically on these areas in her new role as regards making developments in initial teacher training as well as a series of all-island seminars which will give strategic direction to organisations which design Irish language learning aids. As Deputy Chief Executive and a member of the senior management team she will have a central role in planning, organising and managing Foras na Gaeilge business.
Speaking about her priorities in this new role Edel said, “now that there is particular attention being paid to Irish in the north Foras na Gaeilge’s legislative role in advising the governments will be important, with a particular emphasis on the leadership role of Foras na Gaeilge. As well as that it will be a priority for me to raise awareness of the advantages of bilingualism, especially the benefits of studying other subjects such as Mathematics through the medium of Irish. I was educated through English and I understand the importance of promoting Irish in schools in which English is the teaching language as well. Therefore I aim to raise awareness of the benefit of Irish for young people through the Gaelbhratach project, and to increase the number of pupils choosing Irish as a GCSE subject and for A level.”
Ends
Note to the Editor
Biographical note: Edel Ní Chorráin
Edel Ní Chorráin was raised in Garrison in Co. Fermanagh. She is a graduate of the University of Ireland, Galway (BA in Irish and Mathematics). She attended Queen’s University Belfast, where she gained a Post Graduate Degree in Education and an M.Sc. in Educational Multimedia. Edel has spent periods teaching in Coláiste Feirste in Belfast, in Coláiste Chineál Eoghain in County Donegal and as an Assistant Editor with Foras na Gaeilge. She spent 10 years working as leader, teacher and then principal in the Magheroarty Irish College. She was appointed as Education Manager for Irish Medium Education, Post-primary, with CCEA in 2012 and during that time she was responsible for providing resources to the post-primary Irish medium sector in the north, including online resources.
Further Information:
Anna Davitt, Programme Manager: Communications, Marketing & Awareness, Foras na Gaeilge
Tel: 0035387 673 6175
Email: adavitt@forasnagaeilge.ie